by Shelly Bell
Tonight he’d have to make do with the slut he’d tied up in the extra bedroom. It meant having to dig another grave, but what was one more when there had been so many he could barely remember what each of them had smelled like as their lives drained from their eyes?
This one was a screamer. He’d kept her doped and drunk for days, but tonight, he’d sobered her up in time for the party to start.
He opened his kit, laying the needles beside the defibrillator’s paddles. When everything was set, he grabbed his knife, and with a shallow cut to her cheek, woke his prey from her drug-induced slumber.
Her hazy eyes instantly cleared as they focused on the blade in his hand. She screamed, her emaciated body fighting against the restraints keeping her locked in place on the mattress.
She was nothing but an appetizer.
By later tonight, no matter what it took, he’d have his main dish.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
HOLDING UP HER cable-knit sweater that Cole had given her to wear, Danielle stood still as Agent Miller wired her. He’d already inserted a tiny GPS tracker into her locket.
“You’re certain the GPS will work?” Cole asked Agent Miller, who’d dressed up as a doctor again.
This morning, they’d spread the rumor to the trainees that Cole had nearly died from an allergic reaction to an unknown substance and was recovering in his residence. No one would blink at a physician coming to check on him. Also Gracie had announced that she was taking Danielle for a night out with the girls to cheer her up. They hoped the information would spread to the dungeon monitors and then to Rinaldi, letting him know that Danielle would be unguarded tonight.
Agent Miller finished taping the wire to her skin and pulled her sweater back down. “I doubt Rinaldi will suspect a thing, but we’ll only be a couple blocks away from Danielle at all times, just in case. Don’t worry, we’ve done this plenty of times. Danielle will be perfectly safe.”
“Were you able to figure out where he hid the money?” she asked.
The agent shook his head. “We’re working on it.”
Logan got up from the couch. “Rinaldi transferred the funds using CHAPS to another UK bank and converted the money into Bitcoins. Then he wagered the entire lot of them on a hand of poker on a Darknet gambling website and lost. It will take some time to trace from there. Not impossible, but I’ll need some special software for it. I’ve got my contacts out west on it, but it will be at least twenty-four hours before they can hack into the gambling site and access the block chain, then follow the network map.”
Agent Miller’s jaw dropped as if he was shocked, but he quickly recovered, even going so far as to grin. “Hacking? I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
Logan had mentioned he was into computers, but from the sound of it, he could do things that the FBI couldn’t.
“Are we almost ready to go?” Gracie asked. “The girls are expecting us in a half hour.”
She nodded. “Just give me a minute alone with Cole.”
After Logan and Gracie left with Agent Miller, she turned to Cole. All day, he had been on edge, stuck inside his residence as if it was a prison. They hadn’t spoken much about tonight, but he’d made it clear that he didn’t want her to do this.
“You heard Agent Miller,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest. “I’ll be fine.”
He tipped up her chin. “I’ve spent eight years watching over you and trying to keep you safe.”
“And now it’s out of your control, right?”
He walked backward to the couch and sat, bringing her onto his lap. “Yes, damn it. If I felt protective of you before you even walked into Benediction, do you have any idea of how I feel now that I’ve claimed every part of you? You said that you belonged to me, but if that was true, you wouldn’t be doing this. You’d let the FBI find another way to find your stepmother and get Rinaldi.”
“Cole, I meant what I said.” She pressed a hand over his heart. “I do belong to you. But I’m not your slave. I’m free to make my own decisions. And besides, even slaves have a safe word.” She gave him a little smile. “You can’t control everything. Sometimes, you have to have faith that it will all work out in the end.”
“I told you before, I put my faith in science.” He plunged his fingers into her hair at her nape and cradled the back of her head, pushing her toward him. He stared into her eyes. “If something goes wrong tonight, don’t worry about ruining this operation. You do whatever it takes to make it home to me.”
“I promise.”
She kissed him lightly on the lips before she forced herself to walk out his door. Gracie showed her to the garage, and for the first time in days, Danielle left Benediction. They made small talk as Gracie drove, and Adrian followed right behind them in his car.
“I hope you don’t hate me,” Gracie said as she parked in the darkened lot behind the restaurant. “I never meant to lie to you. Master Cole always had your best interests at heart, and so did I. Can you forgive me?”
Danielle clutched her locket between her fingers. “We all kept secrets. There’s nothing to forgive.”
The snow swirled all around, the wind biting and bitter. They strolled into the Spanish-style tapas bar, pretending as if this was really just a girls’ night out. Ceramic tiles colored in blue, gold, and white were used in accents on the walls and floors, and curved arches gave it a Western European feel.
Danielle immediately spotted Kate sitting at a round table with two other women. But like a storm cloud on the horizon, a sense of foreboding hovered over Danielle, chilling her even though they’d left the frigid temperatures outside.
Kate got up from the table and welcomed Danielle and Gracie with hug. “Rachel, Lisa,” Kate said, motioning to each of them with a wave of her hand, “I’d like to introduce you to Gracie and Danielle.”
Danielle sat beside the woman Kate had identified as Rachel, a stunning brunette wearing heavy eyeliner and a blouse unbuttoned enough to show her perfect cleavage. Rachel picked up her glass of wine, and a slight grin appeared on her face. “Are you both attorneys?”
“Uh, no,” Danielle said, catching Adrian sitting alone in a nearby booth. She scanned the restaurant looking for someone who looked suspicious, her knee bouncing nervously.
“Then you’re members of Benediction.” Rachel leaned over, resting her forearm on the table. “Tell me, what really goes on behind closed doors?”
“Uh-uh, Rachel.” Like a mother admonishing her child, Kate shook her finger at her. “You know all members have to sign a confidentiality agreement. Even if I did know them from Benediction—and I’m not saying I do—they aren’t permitted to disclose the details.”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “Spoken like an attorney. One of these days, I’m going to get in there.”
“Rachel’s a reporter,” Lisa said as if it explained everything. She was equally as pretty as Rachel but in a less in-your-face way, with her straight medium brown hair, glasses, and simple makeup.
Rachel straightened in her chair and flashed her a million-dollar smile. “I’m sure they’re aware of that already.”
“Sorry.” Danielle shrugged. “I’m from Arizona, and I haven’t watched any television since I’ve arrived in Michigan.”
“And I don’t watch the news,” Gracie said, chiming in with her usual peppy manner. “It’s too depressing. Now reality TV, that’s another story.”
“It’s so nice to meet you both,” Lisa said, the area around her eyes crinkling from her amusement. “Arizona, huh? What part?”
Danielle tried to concentrate on the conversation, but she became distracted every time someone new walked through the door. “Scottsdale. Have you been?”
Sipping her wine, Lisa shifted in her seat. “No. I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”
“It is, but I’ve come to appreciate Michigan too. Cole’s neighborhood—”
“Cole DeMarco, Cole?” Rachel asked. “The owner of Benediction?”
“Rachel, heel,” Kate said.
Danielle could’ve kicked herself for slipping up and giving Rachel a hint about how she knew Kate. Rachel most likely assumed it anyway, but Danielle felt as though she’d broken a rule.
Rachel crumbled up a cocktail napkin and threw it at Kate. “Damn it. If you would get me a guest pass for one night, I wouldn’t have to hound your friends here.”
Kate sighed dramatically. “Fine.”
Rachel’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me? Did you agree?”
“I did,” Kate said. “Next month, Benediction is having an open house for prospective members. No nudity or sex allowed, but you’ll be able to tour the facility and ask questions. If you sign a confidentiality agreement, Cole will grant you an interview. But if you out anyone, I guarantee—”
“No, no. Of course I won’t,” Rachel said, clapping her hands. “Oh, thank you. Thank you. I could kiss you.”
Lisa lifted her cell off the table and waved it around. “If you do, let me get my camera ready. I’m sure Jaxon would love to see that.”
“What about you?” Rachel asked Lisa. “Are you coming with us to the open house?”
Lisa frowned, her gaze dropping to her lap. “No. That’s not my thing. You know that.”
“Actually, I have no idea what your thing is,” Rachel said. “You never date. Are you secretly married or something?”
Lisa’s eyes widened. “Why would you say that?”
Rachel rolled her eyes as if it was obvious. “Because married people are notorious for not having sex. You fit the criteria perfectly.”
Lisa sighed and shook her head. “I’ll think about coming with you. Okay?”
“I’ll be happy to show you the ropes,” Gracie said in her usual perky manner. “Speaking of ropes, there’s this guy who does some awesome bondage scenes.”
Rachel pursed her lips. “Let me guess? Logan, right?”
“Her and Logan rub each other the wrong way,” Kate said, a ghost of amusement on her lips.
Gracie’s eyebrows arched. “Probably because they haven’t rubbed each other the right way. One night at Benediction could change that.”
Clearly annoyed and ready to change the subject, Rachel ignored the previous comments and turned her full attention to Danielle. “Are you planning on staying in Michigan?”
Her heart jumped a beat. If Cole asked her, would she stay? “I’m not sure. It depends . . . ”
Rachel sipped from her drink. “Let me guess. It depends on a man, right?”
Danielle bit her lip and tried to decide how much to say. All the women watched her with interest, especially Gracie. “I’m not sure if it’s going to work out. There are issues I’m not sure we’ll ever see eye to eye on.”
“Hey, if Kate and Jaxon could make it, anyone can,” Rachel said.
Kate glared at Rachel. “Thanks for the glowing endorsement.”
From across the room, Adrian rubbed his chin, giving Danielle the sign that it was time to move. She glanced at Gracie and nodded. “I’m going to the ladies’ room. If you’ll excuse me.”
“Oh, I’ll go with you,” Rachel said, grabbing her purse.
“No!” Gracie said. “I mean, if you really want to hear about Benediction, you don’t need to interview Cole. I’ve been his slave for years. I’ll answer your questions.”
Her stomach churning with nerves, Danielle hurried to the bathroom and washed her hands, wondering if Rinaldi would take the bait. After a couple minutes, she walked out of the ladies’ room and smacked into Master Michael in the hallway, holding a rag in one hand and in the other, a similar gadget to the one Adrian had used to detect bugs.
“I’m sorry,” Michael said, “but he’s got my sister. I don’t have a choice.”
In a flash, he yanked her necklace until it broke and ripped off the wire. Panicked, she tried to fight him off, kicking and punching him, knowing without the GPS in her locket, the FBI might not be able to find her once he took her from the restaurant. He slapped her face, and before she could scream, he covered her mouth and nose with a sweet-smelling cloth.
Her body crumbled, and as the darkness took her, her last thoughts were of Cole.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“DANIELLE? WAKE UP.”
Her head pounded. She tried to open her eyes, but it felt as though someone had sprinkled sand in them and glued her eyelids together. All the moisture had dried from her mouth, leaving behind a bitter, acidic flavor, and she could’ve sworn her tongue had swollen to twice its size.
She turned her head toward the voice, and nausea slammed into her, bile burning her throat. Everything seesawed, and she tried to hold onto something, but she couldn’t move. Swallowing, she cracked her lids to a blurred view.
As she rapidly blinked, her vision cleared. A dim lamp swung from the ceiling, and the yellowish paint was peeling from the walls. They were in a wooden shack or a cabin of some sort. The coppery scent of blood was overpowering in the small space. Danielle lowered her head and realized the reason she couldn’t move was because she was tied to a chair with rope.
Her heart jumped at the sight of her stepmother sitting next to her. She was similarly bound with bruises and scratches on her cheeks. A blood-stained bandage covered the part of her hand where her ring finger had been.
She was alive.
“Tasha.” Tears welled in her eyes. “Oh, thank God. I thought I’d never see you again.”
“Danielle, I’m so glad you could make it.” Smiling as if greeting her for dinner, Anthony Rinaldi stepped out of another room. “I must apologize for the accommodations. It’s not up to par with what you deserve, but it’s been very convenient for my purpose.”
His calm demeanor scared her more than the fact that she was tied to a chair. “What purpose? Why are we here? What did we ever do to you?”
He dragged a chair over to her, its metal legs scratching the hardwood floor along the way, the grating noise like nails on a chalkboard. He placed it backward in front of her and casually straddled it. “Your father got me into a mess with some dangerous Russians. He owed them quite a bit of money, but rather than pay it back, he turned himself in to the Feds and hid that money overseas, leaving me on the hook with the Russians. He thought we wouldn’t find it, and I admit, I almost would’ve believed the money had all been lost in the stock market if it weren’t for the information I got stating otherwise.”
“What information?” The rope around her wrists chafed her skin as she wiggled her hands to test the strength of the restraints. Without the GPS, there was a good chance the FBI wouldn’t be coming to save her, which meant she was on her own.
Tasha whimpered, tears rolling down her cheeks. With glazed eyes, she silently pleaded for Danielle to stop talking, obviously trying to protect her.
“Sorry, dollface,” Rinaldi said, glancing at Tasha. “Not my story to tell.”
“You killed my father,” she said, keeping him talking to distract him from her attempts at loosening the ropes.
“I did no such thing.” He sounded offended. “James Walker was a coward. Rather than face prison, he took his own life and left you to fend for yourself.” His hand reached out toward her face. She flinched, prepared to feel its sting. Instead, when he tenderly stroked her cheek, she tamped down the strong urge to bite him. “A beautiful girl like you should be treasured.”
The fear whipping through her had nothing on the anger and disgust she harbored for this man. “You got your money. So why didn’t you release Tasha? Why am I here?”
He hurdled to his feet, kicking away the chair with a crash. “And deprive myself of your company? No, Danielle.” Crouching in front of her, he slid his hands up her thighs. “Since the night in your bedroom, I’ve been waiting for you. You’re aware I’m a sadist, but lately, I haven’t found the same pleasure in inflicting pain while at Benediction. Cole’s constant monitoring of my activities limits how far I can go and hasn’t afforded me the ability to test my newest creations.”
His eyes were wild, and his pupils shrunk into pinpricks as his fingers pressed into the flesh between her legs. “Did you know you can run electricity through a knife? Double the pain, double the pleasure. By the time I’m done with you, Danielle, you’ll beg me to kill you.” He licked his lips. “Just like the others.”
“No, please,” Tasha cried. “Let Danielle go and keep me instead.”
Rinaldi jumped up and leaned over Tasha, wrapping his hands around her throat and squeezing. “You misunderstand. I have no intention of letting either of you go. But I’ve had my fun with you, and I’m ready for a newer model. It’s been a pleasure.” He laughed. “Well, at least for me. When you see your dead husband in hell, don’t forget to tell him I said hello.”
He relinquished his grip, leaving a red-faced Tasha gasping for air. “Michael,” he shouted.
Skin slick with sweat, Michael ran his hand through his hair as he stepped into the room.
She narrowed her gaze on him, realizing now that although Rinaldi had been the one who’d woken her up from her bed in Arizona, Michael was the one who had threatened her at Benediction. “You broke into my room at Benediction. How did you get in?”
He wiggled his fingers. “Made a copy of your key. Just needed somewhere to hide on your floor. Luckily, Cassandra was more than willing to lend a helping hand with that. Easy in. Easy out. Girl was more trouble than she’s worth though.” His gaze darted everywhere but on her, as if he was afraid to look her in the eyes.
“Stop talking,” Rinaldi said to Michael. “Take Tasha outside, kill her, and throw her in the grave I dug this morning. We wouldn’t want anyone to stumble upon her while Danielle and I are enjoying our time together.” He winked at Danielle. “We need some privacy, right babe?”
Her throat thickened with terror. “You’re crazy.”
He tsked and shook his head. “Actually, I’m perfectly sane. That’s why I never get caught. That and the powerful people I have in my back pocket.” He pounded his chest. “I’m invincible. I can set this cabin on fire and watch you burn without answering to anyone. Some people think taking a life is playing God, but they’re wrong. I don’t play God.” He widened his arms. “I am God.”